Behind the wheel of the new BMW Z4 Roadster

Motor Trend went to Miramas, France, where BMW has a secret testing facility, to test – no pun intended – the all-new BMW Z4 Roadster. …

Motor Trend went to Miramas, France, where BMW has a secret testing facility, to test – no pun intended – the all-new BMW Z4 Roadster. Still wearing camouflaged clothing, and yet to be fully completed, the new Z4 allowed journalists behind its wheel to provide feedback ahead of its world premiere this August.

The high-end Z4 M40i makes use of a 3.0 liter six-cylinder engine similar to the one used in the other BMW M40i models, but with different outputs in North America versus Europe. Since the stringent European emission laws now require a particulate filter, the power on the Z4 M40i was neutered to around 335 horsepower.

Luckily, in the US, the Z4 M40i will maintain its power potency and will offer the customers a whooping 382 horsepower. Both versions produce the same 369 lb-ft of torque.

Fans of manually shifting gears are out of luck when it comes to the new Z4, so the two-seat roadster will use the well-known ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. While a manual gearbox is out of the picture, the electronically controlled limited-slip differential is standard which will make the drive more dynamic and intriguing.

But to find out more and to see how the new Z4 handles itself on the track, check the video below or here